December 17, 2013

"The Prayer" for Yolanda Victims

As a way of giving thanks to all the countries that helped us, we offer to them "The "Prayer".

Taking inspiration from the award-winning Loboc Children's Choir, several OPM artists have come together to record a song for survivors of recent disasters.

In its official YouTube account, Universal Records uploaded a five-minute clip showing the children’s choir with various local singers as they performed the inspirational song “The Prayer.”

Universal Records said it asked the help of Filipino artists “to lend their voices, to represent our country, and show the world that the Philippines has one voice, one prayer -- that we work together to help our countrymen rebuild their lives brick by brick.”

The record label said the song will be used to raise funds through downloads.

“The proceeds will go to the helpPH campaign, a project by the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation (PDRF). It is a non-profit organization made up of major companies from the private sector and leading NGOs,” it said.

On October 15, 2013, an earthquake with the energy equivalent to "32 Hiroshima bombs" devastated the Visayas, and parts of Mindanao and southern Luzon.

Two days later, the Loboc Children's Choir sang, "The Prayer," with the rubble of the hundred year old Loboc Church as their backdrop.

Their performance moved so many people here and abroad. Then, tragedy struck again.

On November 8, Typhoon Yolanda, the most powerful tropical cyclone of the year hit East Samar, Samar and Leyte.

Thousands died. Millions were left hungry, desperate, and homeless.

Relief efforts from the Philippines and the rest of the world are currently helping the victims survive and find temporary homes.

But the bigger challenge is how to help all these people get back to their normal lives.

This is where we took inspiration from the Loboc Children's Choir's performance.

These children may be from Bohol, but their innocent voices represent not just their home province but also earthquake-damaged Cebu, war-stricken Zamboanga, and typhoon-devastated Leyte, Samar, and Iloilo -- all of whom are praying for a miracle to allow them to rebuild their lives.

And so we asked the help of various Filipino artists to lend their voices, to represent our country, and show the world that the Philippines has one voice, one prayer -- that we work together to help our countrymen rebuild their lives brick by brick.

The resulting song will be used to raise funds through downloads. The proceeds will go to the helpPH campaign, a project by the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation (PDRF). It is a non-profit organization made up of major companies from the private sector and leading NGOs. PDRF, organized in October 2009 after Typhoons Ondoy, Pepeng, and Frank to tap resources for reconstruction efforts during emergencies brought about by calamities, is one of the three identified institutional conduits approved by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to facilitate cooperation and coordination between the Philippine government and the private sector in formulating and implementing reconstruction strategies.

Its goal for Cebu, Bohol, Zamboanga and now the areas affected by Typhoon Yolanda is long-term solutions and programs that will bring businesses and jobs back to these areas. They are also planning to look into better designs for houses more suited for a country that gets hit by typhoons and earthquakes. They are focusing on rebuilding the communities which includes: immediate help, provide housing, education by rebuilding school houses, providing economic incentives, and livelihood opportunities.